This course is meant for students in engineering and other disciplines who seek a challenging, interactive, team-based, and hands-on learning experience in entrepreneurship and technology. In this highly experiential course, students work in simulated start-up teams to create products or start-up ideas to address a broadly-defined need of an industry partner or social challenge.

We're facing a fascinating paradox in today's global economy. On one hand, technologies like AI and quantum computing are creating unprecedented wealth and opportunity. On the other, the quality and security of work is deteriorating for many people worldwide. Nearly 2 billion workers are trapped in the gig economy without basic rights, 289 million youth are disconnected from education and employment pathways, and technological change is leaving entire communities behind.

This Challenge Lab gives you the chance to tackle this paradox head-on by designing entrepreneurial ventures that generate DECENT work - not just any jobs, but employment that provides fair income, workplace security, social protection, and real opportunities for development within a framework of environmental stewardship and social equity.

How might we move beyond “zero-sum” thinking to create innovations and ventures that are the best of all worlds: neither Wikipedia nor Meta, neither Patagonia nor Shein, neither Dr Bronner nor L’Oreal, neither REI nor Walmart, neither Organic Valley nor Monsanto.
Startups have always been powerful engines of economic growth and wealth creation. Sitting at the intersection of social upheaval and technological revolution, we have a unique opportunity to create ventures that drive QUALITY growth and shared prosperity while nurturing a DECENT ecosystem that respects planetary boundaries and fostering a DECENT society that leaves no one behind.
You'll form interdisciplinary teams, and craft your startup from idea to final pitch across several high-potential areas:

Economic Diversification: How can we create innovative strategies to diversify local economies and enhance productivity beyond traditional sectors?

Digital Transformation in Workplaces: What if AI and automation could enhance productivity while ensuring fair labor practices instead of undermining them?

Fintech Solutions for Inclusion: How might we develop applications that expand access to financial services for marginalized communities, promoting genuine economic participation?

Smart Tourism Innovations: Can we craft tech-driven strategies that promote sustainable tourism, benefiting local economies while preserving cultural heritage?

Tech for Youth Employment: What digital platforms could connect young people with meaningful opportunities, training, and mentorship in emerging industries?

Green Tech Entrepreneurship: Where are the opportunities for tech startups focused on environmental sustainability AND economic resilience?

Through this lab, you'll have the chance to design ventures that don't just create wealth, but distribute it in ways that strengthen communities and build a more sustainable future.

See https://scet.berkeley.edu/students/courses/ for enrollment FAQs and contact scet-academics@berkeley.edu for additional questions. This course counts towards the SCET Certificate in Technology and Entrepreneurship (https://scet.berkeley.edu/certificate-in-entrepreneurship-and-technology.

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